An Affidavit of Identity Theft document provides a model form that is used to report information to financial companies. The Affidavit of Identity Theft simplifies the process of alerting creditor companies that a new account was opened in a victim’s name.
In the past, the victims of identity theft were asked to fill out multiple reporting form for each fraudulent account opened by the identity theft perpetrator.
The Affidavit of Identity Theft was developed by the FTC in conjunction with banks, credit companies, and consumer advocates. The ID Theft Affidavit is accepted by all participating credit issuers, retailers, banks, and most other financial institutions.
Identity theft is the number one consumer fraud complaint received by the FTC. Identity thieves steal personal information, such as a credit card account numbers and Social Security numbers. The thieves then open up accounts in the victim’s name and run up charges on the account, or use the personal information to charge goods and services to the victim.
If you are a victim of identity theft, the FTC urges you to:
• Contact the fraud department of the three major credit bureaus:
–Equifax– 1-800-525-6285
–Experian– 1-888-397-3742
–Trans Union– 1-800-680-7289
• Contact the security department of the appropriate creditor or financial institution and close the accounts.
• File a report with local police where the identity theft took place.
• Call the Identity Theft Clearinghouse toll free at 1-877-438-4338 to report the theft.
The Affidavit of Identity Theft simplifies the process of correcting the injury inflicted by identity theft. File an Affidavit of Identity Theft with the three major credit bureaus immediately.
Download a free Affidavit of Identity Theft form personalized with your legal documentation.
